BUY NOTHING DAY

1. SOUND OFF

What did you see? What does it symbolize? What does the author want to denounce?

I saw a huge pink pig poking out its head of the map of the USA.

Pigs are often used as the symbol of greedy people.

The cartoonist may want to criticize Americans for being greedy and dirty.

2. SOUND ON

Script

• The average North American consumes FIVE times more than a MEXICAN , TEN times more than a CHINESE person and THIRTY times more than a person from INDIA

a. Compare North America with China and Mexico (rich/wealthy/poor). Make 3 sentences with : 1. a comparative form;2. a superlative form; 3. a linkword

1. a.North Americans are richer/wealthier than Mexicans and Chinese people.

b.Mexicans are not as rich as Americans.

2. The USA is the richest / the most powerful country in the world.

3. Contrary to/ unlike China and Mexico, the USA is a wealthy country.

Now translate :

plus les gens sont riches, plus ils consomment

The richer people are, the more they consume

Plus les gens sont pauvres, moins ils consomment

The poorer people are, the less they consume

b. What does the word “consume” mean ?

it means that you buy/purchase and eat or use sth before getting rid of it

c. What is the cartoonist’s opinion about the USA and the way they consume? (Don’t forget the symbol he chose: a pig)

In my opinion, since he is comparing the USA to a pig the cartoonist doesn’t agree with consuming that much.

He objects to our consumer society.

d. can you think of negative consequences of consuming too much?

Pollution / deforestation / child labour/ …

Script

• We are the most voracious consumers in the world , a world that could die because of the way we, North Americans live.

e. Describe the images you have seen. What sentences do they illustrate?

* The first image shows a huge rubbish/garbage dump.

The image illustrates the consequences of “We are the most voracious consumers in the world”

* the second image show a deserted, deforested area . The image explains “a world that could die”. Indeed to produce more and more we are depleting the resources of the planet

* The last image clearly denounces the pollution created by cars. Indeed every American has a car, sometimes two ! The image explains “because of the way we, North Americans, live”

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